PROGRAMMING NOTE: The MotoGP World Championship race from Jerez, Spain will air on SPEED live on Sunday, May from 2 at 8:00am EST. It will re-air later that day at 4:00pm EST followed by same-day coverage of the Moto2 race at 5:00pom EST.
Nicky Hayden bounced back from a violent 132-mph crash to qualify fifth on the grid for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez. Hayden admits it could have been a lot worse and has just arm abrasions and bruising to show after dumping his Ducati during Saturday's free practice session.
Just over two hours later the Kentucky Kid was back on track for qualifying, missing front row start by just five hundredths of a second.
Hayden's turn seven spill was a bone shaker and he admits he was going "just too fast" on a front tire that had done 26 laps, just one short of race distance.
"I was bouncing and rolling and thinking man, stay awake, stay awake with every tumble," Hayden said. "I hit my head pretty hard and my helmet is trashed. Every time I hit my head I thought OK, I'm awake.
"I was feeling pretty good at that corner but the front just let go and then both ends came around, I was probably going too fast and I was going faster than Casey (Stoner) through there.
"I don't think it was because the left side of the tire was cooling down -- if anything it was just too old."
